IndexImportant themes and the purpose of PygmalionFilm adaptation of the mythConclusionThe Greek myth of Pygmalion, about a sculptor and the woman he creates and falls in love with, has been adapted into various texts from different times and made relevant to a wide range of audiences. In particular, George Bernard Shaw's English play Pygmalion and the American film Pretty Woman have adopted certain language, form and values, in order to communicate this same story to different audiences in specific cultural contexts. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Important Themes and the Purpose of Pygmalion The universal themes addressed in the myth of Pygmalion characterize its suitability for these appropriations. Themes such as beauty, prejudice, the search for perfection, relationships and dreams are applicable to virtually everyone, and these themes are what give rise to appropriations relevant to almost all cultural contexts. For example, the idea of ​​the creation of a beautiful, living woman from a block of ivory, that is, the creation of something regarded as "nothingness" in a real and true person, has been applied to two other contexts. In Shaw's Pygmalion the "nothing" of this time is a poor flower girl, while in the cultural context of Pretty Woman a "nothing" is a prostitute. Another example of a universal issue is the idea of ​​societal expectations and what is considered appropriate. In Pygmalion the sculptor is ashamed of being in love with a mere statue, in Shaw's time a flower girl could never mix with high society, and in Pretty Woman, Edward keeps as quiet as possible the fact that Vivien is a prostitute. It is these underlying themes that form the fundamental links between the three texts, each with a different interpretation of the story and each conveying messages relevant to their own cultural context. The purpose of the work's appropriation greatly reflects the cultural context in which it was composed. . Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw is set in 1912, a time when social barriers were extremely evident and when a new class was emerging: the middle class. The lower class struggled while the upper classes looked down on them. Shaw was aware that people were judged largely by their social origin, their amount of money, or their appearance, not by their true worth as people. His second criticism was that “it is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without being despised by some other Englishman.” He believed that the English language and alphabet were in desperate need of reform and that if all sounds were legitimized, then all speech would be acceptable. This in turn would help break down the social barriers that existed during his time. After observing these problems in his society, Shaw was determined to open the eyes of the people around him through the play he wrote. Therefore Pygmalion has a somewhat didactic purpose and a strong brake on romanticism, which would detract from the message. One of the ways this message is communicated is through the use of different speeches throughout the play. From Pickering's kind courtesy to all: “Sorry for the direct question, Higgins. Are you a man of good character where women are concerned? to Eliza's cockney "Oo-ow, eez yo-ooa son, right?" discourse is used to make us aware of these barriers, and in scenes like the one "at home," language is a powerful tool. Mrs. Higgin's guests engage in general chit-chat, which is gradually ridiculed as Eliza begins to join them. With his new accent nowis listened to carefully and admired, the guests think that the strange meaning of the words is just part of a new trend. “The new chatter, you do it so terribly well!” Freddy says to Eliza. Shaw heavily ridicules this lesson when Eliza begins to discuss the "barometric situation" in great depth. The use of humor draws greater attention to Shaw's comments on the society of his time; that society engages in meaningless chatter and bases opinions only on someone's appearance. Shaw also felt the need to use the first 'bloody' on stage, something which gained him publicity, as it was considered a swear word with which he pushed the limits. This humor was his way of conveying his message to society, an almost shock reaction, as when the swear word was first uttered "the show stopped for a full minute until the audience had finished laughing", said the Daily Sketch the next day. Clever use of such language would only have been relevant to the audience and cultural context of that time: "bloody" is barely considered a swear word by audiences today. The choice of medium strongly reflects the cultural context in which this text was composed. He believed that in the early 1900s the theater was "growing in importance as a social organ" and that drama should deal with conflicts and ideas. So, while he chose this popular and entertaining form, he was intent on writing plays that were not banal and meaningless like many others. He felt it was important for plays to comment on society and often left audiences feeling a little uncomfortable watching the plays. In Pygmalion it was necessary for his criticism of society and class barriers to reach the people, particularly stuck in these classes, and in 1912 the theater proved to be the most effective vehicle. The values ​​communicated in these texts are probably one of the strongest reflections on the era in which they were composed. Appearance, especially beauty, and good manners are held in high regard. For example, to be accepted into the garden party of the upper class or the ambassador, Eliza is dressed in jewelry and beautiful dresses, conforming to society's expectations. The idea of ​​treating people right is also mentioned many times by various characters such as Eliza "I know I can be a lady to you, because you always treat me like a lady, and you always will" and Higgins' comment that “ You shouldn't cut off your old friends now that you've grown up in the world. This is what we call snobbery." This reflects how this society places importance on good manners and how people are treated. Money often determines status in this society and we see this through Alfred Dolittle's thoughts on his quick encounter with a fortune: “A year ago I had not a relative in the world except two or three who would not speak to me. Now I have fifty of them, and among all of them there is not even a decent week's salary." a flower girl, a sculptor in a phonetic and a Greek myth in an educational game about the downfalls of his society and its values. In the second appropriation of Pygmalion in Pretty Woman, the statue is a prostitute, the creator a businessman, and the form of a Hollywood feel-good film created to gross millions. The purpose of the film's appropriation of Pretty Woman strongly reflects the cultural context in which it was composed. The director's main goal in this case was much less to make a social commentary, but above all to create an optimistic, almost fairytale-like (but within reach) story that would leave the audience with an open heart and an open wallet. . This time the text will have to be something popular, that the public.